Glue applicator for bag sealing machines



Nov. 27, 1951 E. E. MEssME ETAL- 2,575,472

GLUE YAPPLICATOR FOR A'SgALINGMACl-XINES 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 7, 1948 I INVENTORS CTW N E. MSSMR dddd I Joy/v 21. snvg-srew I ATTOENL-Y Nov. 27, 1951 E. E. MESSMER ETAL 2,576,472

GLUE APPLICATOR FOR BAG SEALING MACHINES Filed April 7, 1948 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 i I Ll IN VEN TORS Etna/ 5 Me-a'szvsR Jay M 3. $71. Yes TC'R ATTOR Nov. 2'7, 1951 E. MESSMER ET AL 2,576,472

GLUE APPLICATOR FOR BAG SEALING MACHINES Filed April 7, 1948 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTORS Dn/ 5, Ms 5 s vm Jou'v 3, 5Y4 vssv ae ATTORNEY Nov. 27, 1951 E. E. MESSMER ETAL GLUE APPLICATOR FOR BAG SEALING MACHINES' 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed April 7, 1948 A 7'TOQNEY- Nov. 27, 1951 E. E. MESSMER ET AL 7 2 GLUE APPLICATOR FOR BAG SEALING MACHINES Filed April v, 1948 5 Shea s-Sheet 5 m. E2 4 m LOW BY n ATTOQ VEY Patented not. 21, 1951 2,578,472 GLUE APPLICATOR FOR BAG SEALING MACHINES Edwin E. Meumer, Flushing, and John D. Sylvester, Garden City, N. Y., usignora to Amsco .rackal l Machinery Inc., Long Island City,

N. Y., a corporation of New York Application April 7, 1948, Serial No. 19,474

1 Claim.

This invention relates to machines for sealing bags or like enclosures with flexible walls. More particularly, the invention is concerned with machines in which the sealing is effected by means of a liquid adhesive.

in the type of bag handling machines to which this invention pertains, the bags are transported in an erect or vertical position prior to, during and after sealing, by a pair of members, such for instance as opposed endless belts, which press the opposite walls of the bags together below the top edges thereof and move with the bags in the direction of transport. Before the liquid adhesive i applied to a bag passing through such a machine, an upper portion of the bag, for convenience hereinafter referred to as a lap, is folded over to a horizontal position, and after application of liquid adhesive to the undersurface thereof, the lap is folded down against the bag and into adhesive sealed engagement therewith.

Commercial bags usually have a lap which is quite short, and for this reason the liquid adhesive has to be applied very near to the path of travel of the vertical portions of the bags. Moreover, it is desirable to have the transport members engage the bag as high as possible and to have the lap close to said members in order that after sealing there will be relatively little free space in the filled bag.

The foregoing considerations leave for the liquid adhesive applying mechanism only a small space whose width between the folded and free edge of the lap is approximately equal to the width of the lap and whose height between the lap and the transport members and their associated elements is approximately equal to the height of the lap. This factor of limited space heretofore has made the application of liquid adhesive to bags in a machine of the type mentioned extremely diflicult.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a gluing device adapted to furnish glue within the small confines mentioned but which has none of the drawbacks of present day glue applicators for supplying glue to the same or similar inconveniently located surfaces.

It is another object of the invention to provide a gluing device in which a large glue reservoir is provided and in which glue constantly flows from the reservoir to the region of application of the glue and then back to the reservoir so that may fall into the glue at the region of application be dispersed or assimilated without harm to the operation of the device.

It is another object of the invention to provide a gluing device in which glue is circulated between a large reservoir and a local small sump at the region of application.

It is another object of the invention to provide a gluing device of the type employing a large reservoir and a local sump between which the glue is circulated, wherein the rate of flow of the glue to the sump is regulatable.

It is another object of the invention to provide a gluing device including a large reservoir and a small sump between which the glue is circulated, wherein the means for circulating the glue and the means for applying the glue to a, lap from the small sump are driven by a mechanism which is protected from the glue.

It i another object of the invention to provide a gluing device including a large reservoir and a small sump between which the glue is recirculated, wherein the sump is higher than the reservoir and the glue is pumped up to the sump and allowed to flow back to the reservoir by gravity.

It is another, object of the invention to provide a gluing device embodying all of the foregoing advantages but which, nevertheless, is simple in construction, inexpensive to manufacture and easy to take apart for cleaning at the end of a day, and which may be cleaned even without taking the same apart by draining off the glue, placing water or some other suitable solvent therein and running the device as in normal operation.

It is an ancillary object of the invention to provide a gluing device of the character described which is so constructed that, despite the constant circulation of the glue, the same will not thicken, even if the glue is of the type employing a volatile solvent for a carrier. 1

It is an additional object of the invention to provide a gluing device which is so connected to the sealing machine that it can be readily mounted on or dismounted from said machine and the machine, therefore, is readily adapted for use with or without the device.

Other objects of the invention will in part be obvious and in part will be pointed out hereinafter.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations of elements, and arrangements of parts, which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter described, and of which the scope of application will be indicated in the appended claim.

is carried back to the reservoir where it can settle, 5 In the accompanying drawings inwhich is shown one of the various possible embodiments of the invention;

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a bag sealing machine embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a front vview thereof;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view through the portion of the machine including the gluing device, the same being taken susbtantially along the line 2-3 of Fig. 1:

Fig. 41s an enlarged fragmentary plan view of the portion of the machine including the gluing device, the lid of the glue pot being removed to expose the large glue reservoir, the pump for raisi glue up out of the reservoir, the drive for the pump and the gravity return for the glue from the small sump to the reservoir;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken substantially along the line 55 of Fig. '3, the same being illustrative of the internal configuration of the sump and the positions of the glue applicator and keeper rolls;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially along the line 8-6 of Fig. l, the same being illustrative of the construction of the machine at the first folding station;

Fig. 7 is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially along the line 1-1 of Fig. 1, the same being illustrative of the construction of the machine at the setting station;

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary plan view of the portion of the gluing device including the small sump, the overflow from the sump to the reservoir, the channel for conducting glue from the pump to the small sump, and the drive for the various parts of the gluing device, the cover which normally conceals this portion of device being removed;

Fig. 9 is an end view of the gluing device with portions broken away to illustrate the internal construction thereof; and

Fig. 10 is an enlarged vertical sectional view through the mouth of a bag sealed in the machine.

In general, the several objects of the invention are achieved .by providing a large main reservoir of liquid glue 'at a level considerably below the point of application of the glue to the lap of a bag. There also is provided a small shallow reservoir, which hereinafter will be referred to as a "sump to distinguish it from the large reservoir. The sump is located below the path of travel of the lap, and since the sump is comparatively tiny, it is able to fit within the small space available at this part of the machine. A conventional roll applicator turns in the sump to raise glue therefrom to the desired point of application.

The main' reservoir has a pump associated therewith which elevates a stream of glue to above the level of the sump. Said pump preferably is of very simple construction and constitutes very few parts so that it will not clog readily in use and can be cleaned easily. For example, the pump may include a drum revolvable about a horizontal axis and having a portion beneath the level of the glue in the large reservoir and another portion above the level of the glue in the sump so that the drum, as it turns, will carry up a film of the liquid glue on its surface. Some, or all of this-film is removed from the drum at a. level abovethe sump and is directed to a channel which guides the glue into the sump. A second channel runs from the sump to the large reservoir, this second channel being at a level lower than the first and permitting glue to overflow 4 from the sump back into the reservoir so that a constant circulation of glue takes place from the reservoir to the sump and back again to the reservoir. This arrangement makes certain that the glue in the sump always is fresh, and also removes from the sump lint or other debris which may reach the same and which otherwise would clog and thereby impair operation of the relatively tiny sump.

The gluing device also may desirably incorporate various auxiliary details which facilitate its use. Thus, the device shown herein has a controlled rate of flow of the glue from the reservoir to the sump so that the facilities of the overflow channel-are not taxed, and the level of the glue in the sump does not become too high. Moreover, the axes of rotation of the applicator roll and the .pump drum are disposed in a common, horizontal plane above the levels of the glue in the reservoir and sump so that the driving mechanism for the roll and drum is kept free from glue. Many other improvements will be apparent as the description proceeds.

Referring now in detail to the drawings; the reference numeral 2!! denotes a machine embodying the invention. Said machine comprises a pair of elongated horizontal coplanar bed plates 22. 24 running from the entrance 26 of the machine to the exit 28 thereof. As shown for example in Figs. 1, 3, 6 and 7, the opposed edges of the plates are straight and are spaced from one another a short uniform distance throughout the machine except at the entrance and exit ends where these edges diverge to facilitate introduction and removal of bags B.

The two plates are held in the foregoing mutual relationship by any conventional means as, for example, by several pressure bridges 30, which essentially are members of an inverted U-shaped configuration having each of their lower ends secured to a different one of the spaced plates, for instance, by nuts 32 (see Figs. 6 and '7). The legs of each bridge are arranged to be sprung together .by a rod 36 and a knurled hand nut 38. Each of the bridges is connected by a bracket 40 to a sleeve 42 which is secured to a shaft 44 running the length of the machine. .This shaft and/or one or the other of the bed plates is connected to a suitable mounting fixture, such for instance as a pedestal (not shown), for supporting the machines from some stationary object such as a table or floor.

The machine includes means to transport bags in an erect, vertical position from the entrance to the exit end thereof while holding the bags closed adjacent their mouths. Such means consist of one or more pairs of moving endless belts having opposed reaches overlying the space between the plates 22, 24 and being thereby adapted to press together the side walls of bags and, at the same time, through frictional engagement, to move the bags through the machine. As shown herein, three sets of belts are employed, one set being used to transport the bags through a preliminary folding station, another set being employed to transport the bags through a second folding station, a gluing station'and a pressing station, and the third set of belts being used to hold the gluesealed mouth of the bags closed while the glue is setting.

More specifically, the first set of belts constitutes the two belts 46, 48 (see Figs. 1 and 6). Desirably, said belts are of the type known as V-belts," i. e., each has a wide flat bag engaging surface 50 and side edges which converge in a direction away from this surface. Each 01' said belts travels over a different series of small sheaves 52 which define the path of movement thereof. Several of these sheaves in each series are arranged with their axes of rotation in a line parallel to the longitudinal axis of the space between the two bed plates 22, 24 on which the sheaves are supported. Other sheaves of each series are arranged in diverging rows at the entrance end of the machine. In addition, an adjustable sheave 54 may be located near the'bacl-r of each bed plate to take up slack. All of the sheaves 52 are disposed in the same horizontal position, so that the two belts 46, 48 are located in the same horizontal plane, the same best being shown with respect to the position of the parts of the machine in Fig. 2.

It will be appreciated that by loosening or tightening the knurled nut 88 on the pressure bridge nearest the entrance end, the opposing reaches of the belts 46, 48 may be adjusted relative to one another so that they will press with the proper force against the side walls of bags introduced into the machine. At least one of the sheaves 52, and preferably at least one sheave of each series, is turned in a proper direction to propel bags through the machine toward the exit end.

The portion of the machine in which the endless belts 46, 48 operate is provided with a folding mechanism 56 whose function it is to perform an initial folding of the bags. It may be mentioned here that this folding step and the associated portions of the machine can be dispensed with without affecting the operation of the present invention. The bags B illustrated are fiat bags, that is, bags having no gussets so that when empty, the two side faces 58 thereof can contact one another over their entire area. However, it will be seen as the description proceeds that the invention is not limited to the type of bag described. The folding mechanism 56 is entirely conventional, and consists of a block 60 having an undercut shoulder 62 at the level of which folding is to take place. The position of the bag with respect to said shoulder is determined by a vertically adjustable gauge plate G at the entrance end of the machine on which the bottoms of the bags are placed. A folding blade 64 carried on a vertically adjustable bracket 65 has its upper edge spaced a short distance below the shoulder. Said shoulder terminates in an upwardly flaring groove at the entrance to the folding mechanism, and is provided with a downwardly extending ledge 66 at the trailing end of said groove. The ledge is of progressively increasing depth to gradually complete the fold. Said folding mechanism is carried. by a bracket 68 which is supported on the shaft 44.

The second set of transport belts l0, l2 likewise are endless belts of V-section. These belts, like the belts 46, 48, travel about two series of small sheaves 14 mounted on the bed plates. Said sheaves cause each of the belts to define a path of travel having opposing reaches overlying the space between the bed plates and said reaches are pressed against opposite sides of bags delivered thereto by the belts 46, 48.

The belts i0, 12 are also trained about a pair of large diameter pressure rolls I6, 18, each of which is over a different one of the bed plates and is mounted on a different shaft 80. One of these shafts is connected through a gear train (not shown) to a 'prime mover, e. g., an electric motor (also not shown). In addition, the two shafts'have meshing identical gears 82 so that posed with their axes along two parallel lines a?" in 'the case of the sheaves 52 so as to hold the opposed reaches of the belts 10, 12 in their de:-

other sired straight positions. Said sheaves 14 are located in a common horizontal plane slightly below the plane of the sheaves 52, as is best seen in Fig.2, and as also will be appreciated by comparing the levels of these sheaves with respect to the bed plates in Figs. 3 and 6. The sheaves i4 oi. each of the second series, which is closest to the entrance end of the machine, is co-axial with and secured for rotation to the sheave 52 of the corresponding one of the first series which is furthest from the entrance end of the machine. Thus, as the rolls 18 drive the belts I0, 12, these belts in turn will actuate the belts 46, 48.

The section of the machine including the belts 10, 12 has a folding mechanism 84 associated therewith. This folding mechanism includes a block 86 to which a supporting bracket 88 is adjustably connected, the bracket being secured to the shaft 44. Said block has an undercut shoulder 98 spaced a predetermined distance below the level ofthe shoulder 62 equal to the depth desired for the second fold. At the leading edge of the block 86 the shoulder terminates in an upwardly flaring groove. A folding blade 92 carried on a vertically adjustable bracket 93 has its upper edge spaced a short distance beneath the shoulder 90. Said blade overlaps the front of the block 68 in order to maintain the previous fold (see Fig. 2). The second fold effected with the elements thus far described turns down the top portions of the bags to a horizontal position which is a desirable position for the application of glue to their undersurfaces. The aforesaid turned down top portion of the bag, for convenience referred to as a lap, is denoted in the various fig fires by the reference numeral 94. It is particularly to be noted that, although said lap as shown herein includes a previously folded portion, this need not be the case.

After the folding step has been performed, the horizontal laps 94 pass beneath a flange 96 jutting from the block 86 and having its undersurface flat and horizontal, whereby to maintain the laps in correct position. The folding blade 92 continues beneath the flange in the same' space relation thereto as to the shoulder 90.

The folding mechanism 84 has a second folding portion longitudinally spaced from the region where the laps initially assume their horizontal position. This second portion completes the folding down of the laps through another 90 to lie parallel to one of the surfaces of the bag. Said second portion includes a downwardly extending ledge 98 of progressively increasing depth depending from the shoulder 90 and designed to gradually swing the lap 94 down through the second 90. The lower edge of the folding blade 92 slopes upwardly (see Fig. 5) to enter the space between the ledge 98 and shoulder 90 thereby tapering to a narrow strip located above the zone where glue is applied to the laps in a'manner now to be described.

Since the two folding portions of the mechanism 84 are spaced apart from one another, the path of travel of the laps 94 is horizontalfor a predetermined distance. It is in this region that glue is applied to the undersurfaces of the laps in accordance with the present invention. It may be mentioned that the term "glue" is employed herein'in a generic sense to denote any type of liquid adhesive used in connection with the sealing of bags. Thus said term may include water base glues, as for example, animal glues, vegetable glues and .various well known types of synthetic resin glu'es, e. g., casein glue. The term also includes glues having non-aqueous bases such for instance as a conventional rubber adhesive having a volatile organic solvent as the carrier.

The reference numeral I denotes a gluing de' vice embodying the invention. Said device comprises a large reservoir or pot I02 of sumcient capacity to hold several hours or even a day's supply of glue. The pot has an open top which is covered by a domed cap I04 adapted to be placed over the pot and held in position by a nut and bolt I06 (see Fig. 3). Said pot is secured in a fixed position with respect to the level of the undersurfaces of the laps 94 to which glue is to be applied by suitable means hereinafter described in more detail. The pot, however, is considerably below this level and is remote from the point of application.

Glue is raised from the pot for feeding to adjacent the point of application by a large diameter drum I08 mounted on a horizontal shaft IIO having one end journaled in a side wall of the glue pot (see Fig. 4) and the other end journaled at the top of a pedestal II2 extending from the bottom of the glue pot. The drum is so dimensioned and positioned that a lower portion thereof turns through the glue in the pot, and that its top is above the level where it is desired to deliver the glue to a zone adjacent the point of application to the laps.

Optionally, to prevent too much glue from being raised from the pot and to regulate the quantity thereof, a metering attachment is included. This metering attachment consists of a doctor blade II4 (Figs. 4 and 9) resting on an edge of the glue pot and having parallel slots I I6 in which the shanks of screws II3 are slideably received. These screws are supported in lugs extending from the glue pot and serve to guide the blade for movement toward and away from the drum. Such movement is accomplished by a knurled disc I20 mounted on a threaded spindle I22 which engages a tapped hole in a side of the glue pot. The spindle also includes an unthreaded portion which is journaled in a bracket I24 extending from the glue pot. The disc has a portion projecting through an opening I25 in the blade II4 outside of the glue pot, being snugly received in said opening, so that as the disc is turned, and thereby moved toward and away from the drum, the doctor blade will be moved with it. An edge I28 of the blade is parallel to the axis of rotation of the drum and in operation is spaced a short distance away from the cylindrical surface of the disc whereby to define a narrow space through which the film of glue raised by the drum must pass. If the film is thicker than the space, the excess glu will be removed. The blade also includes side arms I30 which scrape off all glue raised on the sides of the drum.

The metered film of glue, or a predetermined portion thereof, is removed from the drum by a second doctor blade I32 mounted on a plate or shelf I34 integrally extending from one of the walls of the glue pot toward the zone of application of the glue. The regulated amount of glue thus removed from the drum flows into an open I channel terminates at a sump I30 integrally formed in the plate I34 immediately beneath the point of application of the glue. This sump is of relatively small cubic capacity compared to the glue pot and is quite shallow so that it takes up but little of the room between the flange 36 and the sheave I4. The glue in the sump is at a much higher level than the glue in the pot, and therefore provides a limited but elevated source of supply from which glue can be applied to the undersides of the laps 64.

Glue overflowing from the sump is directed back toward the glue pot by a channel I40 formed, as by milling. in the upper surface of the plate I34. This channel slopes gently from the sump toward the glue pot. and is of sufllcient capacity to accommodate all the glue removed from the drum by the blade I32, even when no glue is applied from the sump to the laps 04.

It is pointed out that the constant circulation of glue from the reservoir to the sump and back again flushes out any lint or other debris which may find its way into the sump during the application of the glue. This debris settles in the bottom of the glue pot or is dispersed or assimilated so that it does not interfere with the operation of the gluing device.

Glue is applied to the laps 04 by means of a tiny applicator roll I42 mounted on a horizontal shaft I44, and disposed immediately above the sump with a lower portion of the roll below the level of the glue in the sump whereby as the roll turns, a film of glue is raised on the periphery of the roll to the point of application on the undersurface of a lap 94. The roll may have an annular groove I46 which breaks its periphery up into two narrow spaced cylindrical sections so that glue is applied along two spaced linear areas.

Means islincluded to positively turn both the applicator roll I42 and the pumping drum I08. Preferably, such means is actuated by the same source of power as that employed to rotate the pressure rolls I6, I8 and to this end the shaft 60 for one of these rolls is provided with a sprocket I43 (see Fig. 2) around which' a chain I50 is trained. Said chain engages another sprocket I52 ilxed on a short vertical shaft I54 journaled in the bed plate 24 on the same side of the machine. as that on which the gluing device is mounted. The upper end of the shaft I54 carries one half I56 of a take-apart clutch or detachable rotary coupler Whose other half I58 meshes therewith so that when these two halves are interengaged they will turn as a unit with the shaft I54. More specifically, said halves, as seen in Fig. 3. are provided with vertical meshing teeth so that the two halves may be disengaged simply by raising the upper half. The upper half I56 is fixed to a short vertical shaft I60 which is journaled in the plate I34 and extends therethrough. A miter gear I62 is fastened to the upper end of this latter shaft. Said miter gear meshes with a bevel pinion I64 pinned to the horizontal shaft I44 which carries the applicator roll I42. The shaft I44 mounts a second bevel pinion I66 which meshes with a bevel gear I68 onthe shaft IIO, whereby, when'the shaft I54 is turned, it will rotate both the drum and the glue applicator roll.

It will be observed that the shaft I60, passing as it does through the plate I34, is below the level of glue flowing from the blade I32 to the sump channel I36 (see Figs.8and9) which slopes down I33. To prevent the glue from -touching said shaft, an enclosure wall I18 is provided (see Fig. 3) in the form of a box surrounding the shaft I88 and the gears I82; I84. This wall extends up above the shaft I44 and said shaft is Journaled in apertures formed in the wall. Attention also is called to the fact that both the shafts II 8 and I44 are disposed well above the levels of the glue in their respective vicinities so that these shafts and the bevel gears are kept clear of glue without the use of shaft seals at the enclosure walls.

If desired. means may be included to control the thickness of glue applied by the applicator roll. Such means comprises a doctor blade I12 mounted on a shaft I14 which is pivoted in bearings inte ral with the plate I34. Said blade is blessed upwardly by a compression spring I16 and is forced down toward the periphery of the applicator roll by a screw I18 threaded through an auxiliary cover I88 hereinafter described in more detail. The lower end of said screw bears against a leg I82 rotatable with the shaft I14. This arrangement permits the blade I12 to be adjusted when the glue device is fully covered. The blade I12 has edge portions parallel to the axis of rotation of the applicator roll, these portions being adapted to engage the cylindrical surface of the roll if depressed far enough. Adjustment of the screw I18 will vary the space between said edge portions and the rolls, and thus control the thickness of the film of glue applied to the undersurfaces of the laps 94. The blade also may include extensions I84, which wipe against the sides of the applicator roll and the sides of the annular groove I48 whereby to keep these surfaces free from glue.

The glue device is firmly but detachably fastened to the bed plate 24, as by a pair of bolts I 88 which pass through openings in said bed plate and are threaded into tapped bores provided in a pair of bosses I88 on the undersurface of the plate I34. This construction en- .ables the glue pot to be very easily attached to or removed from the machine 28, it being remembered that the positive drive for the gluing device is readily detachable at the take-apart coupling I88-I58.

The flat auxiliary cover I88 overlies the sump I88, the enclosure I18 and the portions of the inflow channel I38 and overflow channel I48 not covered by the cap I84. The parts of the gluing device respectively overlain by the cap and auxiliary cover can be seen readily by comparing Figs. 4-8. Such complete covering of all parts in which liquid glue is disposed is useful in keeping the glue clean, and is particularly beneficial where the glue has a volatile solvent carrier. In such case, the cap and auxiliary cover, although not rendering the gluing device airtight, keeps the solvent vapor stagnant above the glue, and thus substantially inhibits rapid evaporation thereof. In actual operation of said device on a commercial scale it has been found that it can run throughout an entire day using a glue having a highly volatile solvent without thickening the glue sufficiently to prevent its use.

Means such as a keeper wheel I98 can be provided to ress the laps 94 lightly down against the applicator roll and thereby insure transfer of glue to the undersurfaces of the la s. The keeper wheel is fixed to a horizontal'shaft I92 journaled in a frame I94 which is pivotally secured to a block I98 connected as by weldirie. to the auxiliary cover I88. The frame I94 swings down under its own weight and, moreover, is

urged downwardly by a tension spring I98 (Fig. 9) Downward movement of the frame is limited by a bolt 288 threaded through the frame, and having its lower end protruding from the bottom thereof and adapted to abut the block I98. The bolt 288 is so adjusted that when the frame is in its lowermost position, the laps 94 can be introduced between the two rolls I42, I98 at the speed at which bags move through the machine without mutilating said laps. The keeper wheel is formed with two annular grooves 282 in registry with the two cylindrical portions of the glue applicator roll. To minimize drag on the bag, the keeper wheel is turned at the same speed as the glue applicator roll by a spur gear 284 on the shaft I92 which meshes with a spur gear 288 on the shaft I44.

The auxiliary cover I88, and therefore the keeper wheeland its associated parts, are detachablv secured to the plate I34 in some suitable fashion, as bv means of a pair of bolts 288 which pass freel through holes in the auxiliary cover and the block I98 and are threaded into ta ped bores 2I8 (Fig. 8) in said plate. Attention is called to the fact that the auxiliary cover is fashioned with a pair of a ertures through which the lue-a plicator roll I42 and sour gear 286 extend for effective operation (see Fig. 3).

Glue is introduced into the glue not by means of a fillin extension 2 I2 (Fig. 2) hich normally is closed by a s inging cover 2I3. Glue is removed from said pot by unscrewing a drain plug 2.

To prevent the lane 94 from being folded beyond their horizontal position. the folding blade 93 includes a horizontal wing 93' (Fi 5) at the level of the top ed e of said blade and extending up to the gluing device.

After the glue has been applied to a lap 94 and the lap brou ht down against a flat surface of the bag bv the led e 98, the bag is transferred from the belts 18. 12 to the last set of endless transport belts 2I5, 2I6 and at the same time the glued lap is squeezed against the bag. These belts are at the level where glue was applied, and may, as shown, consist of two pairs of belts, one above the other, as best shown in Figs. 2 and '1. Said belts are driven by the rolls 16, 18 and are held in proper position to support the bags and transport them throu h the machine by sheaves 2 I 8. The belts 2 I 5, 2 I 6 function to hold the glued seal together until the same is set.

Optionally, the setting of the glue may be hastened as by heating, and for this purpose there may be incorporated into the machine an electric strip heater 228 whose temperature is regulated by a thermostat in a control box 222. The strip heater is attached to the back of the folding block 86.

It will thus be seen that there is provided bag sealing machine which achieves the several objects of the invention, and is well adapted to meet the conditions of practical use.

As various possible embodiments might be made of the above invention, and as various changes might be made in the embodiment above set forth, it is to be understood that all matter contained herein and shown in the accompanying drawings is to be considered illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described our invention, we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

A glue applicator comprising a small local sump, a large glue reservoir having the level .of the glue therein below the level of the glue in said sump, a drum, a horizontal shaft on which said drum is mounted. said drum having a portion disposed beneath the level of the glue in the reservoir and a portion disposed above the level of the glue in the sump whereby as the drum rotates it will lift the film of glue from the level of the glue in the reservoir to above the level of the glue in the sump. means at a level above the sump to remove at least a portion of said film from said drum, means to direct the glue thus removed into the sump, means to direct glue overflow from the sump-back to the reservoir, an applicator roll; a horizontal shaft on which said roll is mounted, said roll having a portion thereof within the glue in the sump, said two shafts being in the same horizontal plane and being disposed at an angle to one another. a miter gear on each shaft, said miter gears being intermeshed, a second gear on one of said shafts, a source of motive power, a frame, a vertical shaft rotatable in said frame, a take-apart clutch including two halves, one of said halves being mounted on said vertical shaft, said one half comprising a set of upwardly extending teeth disposed in a circle concentric about the vertical shaft. the other half of said take-apart clutch comprising a set of downwardly extending teeth spaced to interengage with the teeth of said one half, a second vertical shaft in alignment with the first vertical shaft and located 12 I above the same, said other half of the take-apart clutch being secured to the second vertical shaft. a gear on the second vertical shaft meshing with the second gear, said second vertical shaft being movable bodily with the glue applicator, and

means to detachably attach the glue applicator to the frame whereby, when said attaching means is detached and the glue applicator is lifted, said applicator is disconnected from the source of power.

EDWIN E. MESSMER. JOHN D. SYLVESTER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

